Soldering-machine.



G. W. GRAHAM.

SOLDERING MACHINE.

AP PL1OATION FILED JUNE 11,1903.

Patentd June 8,1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. W. GRAHAM. SOLDEEING MACHINE.

LPPLIUATION FILED mm 11, 1903 Patented June 8, 1909. 1 sann'ts-snnn'r 2,

Tlmlfi l q 1 t I l 9 x Q 4 l I I l l I I l i i l l I fawn! G. W. GRAHAM.

SOLDERIN G MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 11, 1902.

Patented, June 8, 1909.

7 SHEBTB-SHBBT 6.

C. W. GRAHAM.

SOLDERING MACHINE.

APPLIGA'I'ION TILED mm: 11, 1903.

Patented Jul 1e s, 1909.

'i SHEETS-SHEET 4.

hvu

- .3 hi r \Hd l l Nan mew. 1 2522.221: iizzizzz fi W G. W. GRAHAM.

SOLDERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION nun) mm: 11, 1902.

924,453 Patented June 8, 1909.

7 HEBREW-SHEET 6.

C. W. GRAHAM.

SOLDEBING MACHINE. APPLIOATIOH rum) mm 11,}903.

924,453. Patented June-8,1909.

C. W. GRAHAM.

SOLDERING MAGHINE.

APPLIOATIOR FILED JUNE11L1903 Patented June 8, 1909.

UNITED SOLDERING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909.

Application Wed June 11, 1903. Serial no 160,973.

2'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that l, Cinemas GRAHAM, residing at Home, in the count ofOneida and State of New York, bane invented irrtain new and usefulImprovements in Holdvriug-lilachincs, oi" ivhirh the .lollowing is alull, clear, and exact description. sin-h as \i ill enable others skilld in the art to which it.

appcrtains to make and use th same.

The invention relates to a soldering inar-hinc especially adapted forsetting solder on tin ans, but both as to gi-zncric and specificfeatures thereof in a variety of relation in geniiral, its object is toprovide a simple. durable and otiicieut machine oi this character.

Specific objects and advantages will be, in part obvious from the fllowing description. and in part pointed out.

The invention consists in th features of construction, combinations ofelements, arrangement of parts and iucans for the application ofprini'iplrs which will be hcrciuafti-r described and the povcl featurestherein pointed out in the claims.

In. the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 is a Sltlt elevation, partly broken away, showingtho solder settingend of the machine and a portion of the solderapplying devices. Fig. .2 is a similar side elevation of the end of themachine to which the unaoldercd cans are fed. l igs. 3 and 4 are topplan vieus of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and respectively. Fig. 5 is anend elevation looking from the solder setting end of..the machine. Fig.3 is a section on the line X-X of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of thearrow. Fig. 7 is a vertical section, partially broken away, of theturntable or ro lary conveyer embodying the solder sdting means. Fig. 8is a section on the line Y---Y of Fig. 7.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout; theSeveral views.

Rcferrin first to the general fran'iework of the machine, standards 1and 2 are supported upon parallel channel beams or bed beams 3 and 4. Onthese bed beams is also su 'iportcd a fire box 5 upon which is carriedthe solder bath 6 adapted to be filled with the soldering material whichis rendered in proper shape for application to the cans upon applicationof heat, the fire box shown being only a conventional illustration forapplying and by brackets 8 attached to the Sllllltlillilr-I s.

The oaths or \vavs in the machine are of such construction that a lineof cans may be carried along on each side of the machine, the appliancesfor this purposibeing in the main duplicates unless otherwisespecified.An I-boaiu 9 xtends between the two staudar ls l. 2 and is verticallyadjustable \iith referent-e thereto by nmans of food screws 10 whichpass through food nuts 11 tapped into boss-cs projecting from the endsof the Lheain through longitudinal slots 12 in the sides of thestandards. Those feed screws are convcnicnth in'oviclcd with hand wheels13 by turning which the height of the Lbeam relative to the standardsand to the indcpcnd eutlv supported solder bath may be adjusted. 7 At.intervals alon the lowvr flange of the I-bcain S) are secured brackets14, best shown in Fig. (l, to the sides ofxwhich are secured, preferablyso to be adjustable thereto, long plates or bars 15 which act as topguides for the movement of lllt' cans in their pas sage through themachine. On each side of the lower edges of these castings are secured,preferably adjustably, horizontal plates or bars 16 which act as uidesor stops for the inner ends of the lino 0 'cans Guides or ways for theouter ends of the cans are provided by the plates 17 haviu vertical ribs18 spaced slightly from their inner edges and secured to the top of thebathfi, referably by bolts passing through longitudinal slots, as at 19.It will be clear that there are thus provided Ways or guides for thecans as they are passed through the machine, which may be independentlyadjusted with refer- 95 once to their supports, While the supportsthemselves with the, top and inner end uides may be adjusted as a wholethrough tie adiustincnt. of the I'beam 9. At the same time the top andinner guides are supported independently of the solder bath and henceare relieved from the unfavorable efi'ects of the contraction andexpansion of such bath in use. The cans are rolled through the bath oneach side of the machine by means of con veyer chains 20 which at thereceiving end of the machine pass over idler sheaves 21 carried by astud 22, a boss 23 projectin from which passes throu h a longitudinaslot; in the standard 2 and 1S adjustable with reference thereto bymeans of a feed screw 10 and hand wheel 13 similar to the adjustment ofthe Lbeam already described. On the other end of the machine chainsheaves 2.4, 2% are associated with driving pulleys 25 which are drivenby belts from any suitable source of power, the vertical position of thesheaves being adjustable in order that the travel of the chains maycorrespond to th e position of the adjustable guides, by a similar feedscrew and feed nut adjustment, as at 10 13.

lhe means for settingI or solidifying the solder which is taken up thejoint between the can body and the head in the passage of the canthrough the solder bath comprises what may be termed a rotary turntableor conveyer, designated in a general way by A, and provided with two dec5 or tables 26,27. The specific construction of the turntable will beclear upon in tion of Fi A verticalshaft or ongated hub 8 is journaledin a vertical bearing 29, a washer 30 being interposed between theugpe'r face of such bearing and an annular an e 31 on the hub on whichthe spokes 32 of t e tables which are, in the construction illustrated,0% s ider form, are bolted. The turntable is riven by the bevel gear 33on the lower end of the hub 28, meshing with gear 34 on shaft 35, theshaft 35 being driven, as best shown in Fig. 1, by a vertical shaft 36whichtisl spars from one of the amdriven by bevel i sheaves 24.' he sokes 32 of the turnta le carry at their en two hollow annular rings ortracks 37 which form ledges or conveyers for the line of cans asthey areied from the solder bath. Suitable side" rails may br rovided ifdesired, an inner rail shown at Cold water orany deen these hollowledges from the 'inlet pipe 38 and the connectm' pipes 39, 4Q, 41 to theoutlet pipe 42 in t e lower endoi the hub. Between the inlet and outletpipes in each ring is placed a barrier or deflector 43 by which theentering current of cold water or other cooling medium is deflected andcaused to traverse ractically the entire 7 eripher of the ring fore itis discharged throng the outlet ipe. Further etails and advantages -ofthe construction of this machine will be clear upon tracin ithe passageof a line of cans therethroug i The unsoldered cans which have hadtheheads applied thereto b compression or otherwise are'picked up romthe receiving chute 44 by means of a conveyor 45 driven from anysuitable source of power, as by pulley and belt shown in Fig. 4, andcarried to an inclined stripper 46 by which they are taken from theconvcyer and down which they roll'until they are icked u by the convcyerchains on the loll side 0 the ma- .7and8,

:until pick cooling medium maybe led'through of the cooling meansconstructed chine looking from the feeding in end. This chain, whichmay, if desired, pass over additional idler sheaves 47, 47 carries thecans through the flux and solder baths and finally dischnr cs them to aninclined way 48, down which t icy are rolled until they are received onthe up or deck of the turntable. This rotates in t ie direction of thearrow in Figs. 1 and 3 and they are carried around thereby until theyare turned aside by a deflector 49 which, acting in conjunction with aguide 50, discharges them upon the upper end of an inclined chute 51down which they roll until they are icked up, by a convcyer 52ositioned, as est shown in'Fig. 4 of the rawings, at the feeding in endof the machine and delivered to the inclined track 53 down which theyroll until they are picked u by theconveyer chain at the right side oithe machine for passage through the flux and solder baths, the cansbeing new reversely arran ed with relation to the bath so that the uxand solder are applied to the o posite end from before. After leavin t econvcyer chains at the opposite end of the machine, they are fed down aninclined way 54 to the lower deck 27 of the turntables? which they arecarried around oil by a deflecting arm 55 and delivered to a chute 56,whence they may be carried to any suitable point.

A very notable and im ortant feature of my invention consists in eemployment of means whereby the cans after leaving the solder bath maybe subjected to the influence of a cooling medium, the effect of whichshall be first exerted upon the end of the cans and t-hereafter'proressively from the end toward the center. itherto the solder has beenset at the joint either as a whole or by a. cooling medium, the efl'ectof which pensi the solder at the side of the joint nearest tie center ofthe can body is exposed to the effect of the cooling medium and setsbefore the solder in that part of the joint .nearest the end has becomeset air bubbles will be form-ed and an imperfect joint result, becauseof which the efiiciency of the can as a preserving receptacle will belessened if not totally destroyed. Theaction in accordance with mypresent invention difiers radically from such cooling devices and otherswhich havebeen heretofore proposed in that it provides for applying thecooling medium to the {solder progressively from the annular ed of-tliecan or concealed part of the joint inward or toward the center of thecan body. This may be made clear by inspection of Fig. 7, in which isshown a sectional view of a can rest ng upon the hollow ledge 37, thejoint be tween the can body and heads being exagqcratcd for [Mr of illutration. Upon circulation cold water or other cooling medium through thepipes and conduits of the turntable, the cans, as they are carriedaround by the turntable, will. be exliifbetl lli) the action of the lowtcn'ipcraturc caused thereby, which will be increased by the effect ofthe material of which lhc table formed, it being preferably of somewhatever, the

Bis

thick cast iron. This ring will itself be come cold in addition toacting as a conductor between the cooling medium circulating through theturntable and the can resting on its upper surface. As the can with thesolder in a semi-liquid condition in the joint between the body andhead, as shown at Fig. 7, is deposited upon the turntable, the loweringof temperature will first allect the lower side of the joint which is[wares/t to and rests upon the hollow ledge, as at a. This will causethe solder to set at the bottom. of the joint first and as the lovwrlngof temperature gradually inor uses from the bottom upward the solderwill hen be set from the bottom upward. Pl'th l real tests have provedthe elliciency of such a solder setting means and it is not necessarythat I should further elaborate the method or theory of operation in accordanre with which the beneficial results set forth are obtained. It ismy belief, however, that the beneficial results of progressively'settingthe solder in this Way from the bottom upward are caused by the factthat the air is squeezed out by the progressive solidification so thatno air bubbles remain to endanger the life of the joint, while if thecooling medium is applied to a part only of the joint, or from the topdownward, or to all the arts of the joint at once, there would be liketo be a solidification of the upper parts of the joint before the lowerparts have solidified, thus rendering'it likely that air bubbles wouldbe caught and held within the joint. The same theory would ap 'ly to theformation of soft spots and he es in the joint, whether filled with airor whether they were comm. Where the cooling medium is applied to apoint corresponding to the top of the joint, having reference to theform of joint shown in the drawing, or to all parts of the joint atonce, the contraction caused by the setting of the solder will work invarious directions throughout the joint and will tend to leave holeswhich would immediatel ally destroy its usefulness. ll

solidification is aarogressive from the bottom or concealed part of thejoint in ward or OutWard the initial contraction o the solder draws inthe liqlllt'l solder, thereby filling up any holes which might be forcooling the part or eventuhere, howtravel of the cans.

caused by the contraction and insuring a. solid, closely packed joint.Looking at it from this viewpoint, the essential feature is that theellcrls of the contraction should all. be exerted in one directionrather than, as in the case (if-methods heretofore pro posed, beingexerted in various directions throughout the, mass which would tend topull the particles apart instead of setting them togetherinto a compactbody. "While this may not be the correct theory of the operation of themachine in this respect, the principle oi. the invention and the mode ofcarrying it out will be sufficiently clear from the description givenand I do not in tend to limit myself to any technical theory ofoperation.

It will be obvious, also, that the invention not limited to the detailsof construction herein set forth, as various changes might be madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention. As, the drivingmeans, the means whereby various parts are adjusted, means for timingthe movement of the various parts, and the means for conveying the cansfrom one art of the machine to another may be varied together with-otherfeatures, which, while they might materially change the appearance ofthe machine would still involve the ideas and utilities which are 95here set forth, easily deduced from the do scription or inherent in theinvention. I desire that all matter in the fore oing dcscription shallbe interpreted'as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It will alsobe 100 clear that the parts and 0 erations herein described may beidentifie by the use of various terms and that the terminology used isdescriptive rather than limiting.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1* 1. In a can soldering machine, means forapplying solder to the joint of a can body ind head and means forprogressivel lowering the temperature of said solder rom the concealed,toward the exposed portions of said solder.

2. In a solder setting device for cans and similar articles, incombination, a table to whichcans are supplied from the solder bath,means for'rotating the-table and means of the table upon which the cansrest and with which they move.

3. In a solder setting device for'cans and similar articles, a rotaryturntable to which the cans are supplied, said turntable having passagesor conduits therein for the passage of a cooling medium beneath the lineof 4. In a can soldering machine, in combination, a solder bath, meansfor feeding a line of cans through said bath, arotar turntable to wh chthe cans are delivere irom the solder bath, means for revolving saidtable and subjecting the solder at the joint to the influence of a.coolin' medium during such rotation. means for ceding the cans againthrough a solder bath with the op positc joint exposed to the solder, aturntable to which the cans are then fed, means for rotating said table,and means adapted to bring a cooling fluid into'operative relation tosaid table.

5, la a machine of the class described, a turntable having a pluralityof decks or tracks, conduits in said decks for the passage of acirculating medium therethrough, means 'for feeding articlessuccessively to different decks of said table, and means for rotatingsaid table.

(i. In a machine of the class described in combinatioma turntable havinga plurality of decks or tracks, means for feeding articles successivelyto different decks of such table and for rotating said table, and meansfor coolin the part or parts of the decks upon \vliic the cars areadapted to rest.

7. In a can soldering. machine, in con:- bination with a solder bath andmeans for feeding the cans thcretlirough, a turntable having a luralit-yof decks, means for feeding cans rom the solder bath to one of saiddecks and for subjecting the cans to the action of a cooling mediumthereon,;and means whereby the cans may be then fed again through :1solder bath and tea second deck of the turntable for further action by acooling medium.

"a a can soldering machine, in combination with a solder bath and meansfor teeding the cans therethrough, a turntable having a )lurality ofdecks, means for feeding cans mm the solder bath to one of said decksand for subjecting the cans to the action of a cooling medium thereon,and means whereby the cans may be then fed a am through a solder bath,and to a second eck of the turntable for further action by a coolingmedium, the construction and arrangemcnt being such that a continuousline of cans may be fed through the solder bath" and to the variousdecks of the turntable at the same time, whereby a continuously andautomatically operating machine is obtained.

9. In combination, a cooling member provided with means adapted toreceive a cooling fluid, means adapted continuously to supply cans tosaid cooling member, and means adapted to remove said cans after restingthereon in fixed relation thereto for a predetermined time.

10. In combination, a cooling member provided with means adapted toreceive a cooling fluid, means adapted continuously to supply cans tosaid cooling member, and

means adapted automatically to remove said cans after resting directlythereon in fixed relation thereto for a predetermined length of time.

11. In combination, a cooling inember provided with means adapted toreceive a cool ing fluid, means adapted conitinuously to supply cansthereto, and means adapted a tomatically to remove said cans after,nestillg' upon said cooling member in fixed relation thereto for aredetermined length of time.

12. In combination, a cooling, member provided with means adapted toreceive a cooling fluid, means adapted continuously to feed cansthereto, and means adapted to remove said cans after resting directlyupon said cooling member for a predetermined length of.time.

13. In combination, a bed, a supporting member upon said bed, a solderbath mounted upon said supporting ynember, means adapted to conduct canspast said solder bath and in contact therewith, a second sup-.

portin member adapted to guide said cansin sucli passage, a coolingmember, means adapted continuously to conduct said cans u on saidcooling member, and means adapted automatically to remove said canstherefrom after remaining in contact therewith for a )redeterminedlength of time.

14. n combination, a bed, a supporting member thereon, a solder bathmounted u on said supportil'ig member, means adapted to conduct canspast said bath and in contact therewith, a second supporting membermounted upon said bed, guides adjustably mounted it on said second-Snaporting member and in( ependent of said first supporting member adaptedto guide said cans in such passage, a cooling member, means adapted tofeed said cans to said cooling member, and means adapted to remove saidcans from said cooling member after resting thereon for a)redeterminedlength of time.

15. n combination, a, bed, a supporting member thereon, a solder bathmounted u on said supporting member, means adapte to conduct cans pastsaid bath and in contact therewith, a second supporting member mountedupon said bed, guides adjustably mounted upon said second su portingmember and independent of said ti rst supporting member adapted to guidesaid cans in such passage, a cooling member. means adapted contiimouslyto feed said cans to said cooling member, and means adaptedautomatically to remove said cans after resting directly upon saidcooling member for a predetermined length of time.

16. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a air of solderbaths, means adapted to fee cans through one of said baths, a rotarycooling-table comprising tw superimposed parts, means adapted to dlscharge cans from aidlast-mentioned bath upon one part of aid.cooling-table, means adapted to receive cans from said art of saidcooling-table and feed the same t rough the other of said baths, andmeans adapted to discharge cans from said last-mentioned hath upon theremaining part of said cooling-table.

17. In apparatusof the class described, in combination, solder applyingmeans, means adapted to feed cans in operative relation to said solderapplying means, a rotary cooling table comprising two superimposedparts, means adapted to discharge cans from said solderin means upon onepart of said cooling tab e, means adapted to receive cans from said partof said cooliu table and feed the same through said sol er applyingmeans, and means adapted to discharge cans from said solder applyingmeans upon the remaining part of said cooling table.

18. In a soldering machine, in combination, a solder bath, means ada tedtoroll cans in operative relatiqn to sai bath in an inclined osition,and guiding means unconnected with said bath or its contents adapted toengage the upper part of said cans during their travel through saidoath.

19. Ina solderlng machine, in combination, a solder bath, means adaptedto roll cans through said bath in an inclined position, and guidingmeans unconnected with said bath or its contents ada ;ted to engage boththe ends and upper sides of the cans during their travel through saidbath.

30. In apparatus of the class desv'rilwd, in combination, a solder bath,a bodily adjustable member bridging over said bath, means adapted topropel cans in operative relation to said batln and means mounted uponsaid bridging member adapted to guide the cans in their travel withrespect to said bath.

21. In apparatus of the class lescribed, in combination, a solder bath,a homily adjustable member bridging said bath in n direction lengthwisethereof, and means mounted upon said member adapted to propel cansthrough said bath and in operative relation thereto.

4 22; In apparatus of the class described, a solder bath, a bodilyadjustable member hrid 'ng said bath, means mounted upon said mern aeradapted to propel cans through said bath, and means mounted upon saidmember adapted to guide said cans in their travel with relation tosaidbath.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

- CHARLES W. GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. Cooxmnam, SANFORD F SHERMAN.

